Brake-beam.



No. 727,217. PA[]E.`N'1BDl MAY 5,' 1903.

L. A. SHEPARD.

BRAKE BEAM.

APPLIOATIN FILED SEPT. 9, 1902. Y

` 3 BHEETSBHEET 1.

.I0 MODEL.

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PATENTED MAY '5., 1.903.

No. 727,217. f L. A. ysHEPAiuJl BRAKE BEAM.

- APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1 902, No MODEL. l a MEETS-SHEET 2.

-U IIIIII m A t@ N No. 727,217. PATENTED MAY 5, 190s.

l L. A. .sHEPARn f BRAKE BEAM, f APILIOATION FILED S'EPT. 9, 1902.

.N0 MODEL. l 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

@xlib/Leases. l n I l Patented May 5, 1903.

v`ATENT EEICE.

LOUIS A. sHEPARD, OE BROOKLYN, NEw YoRK,"AssiGNoR To CORNELIUSVANDERBILT, OE NEW YORK, lN.jY.

BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,217, dated May 5,1903.

Application led September 9, 1902.

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LLOUIs A. SHEPARD, a citi- Zen of the United States,and a resident ofthe borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake-Beams, ofwhich the following is a specitication.

My invention relates to an improved form ol brake-beam, the structureand advantages of which are fully set forth in the specification and thescope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

It has for its object the production of a brake-beam characterized bygreat strength and lightness.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan, Fig. 2 a front View,and Fig. 3 an end vieW,ot` one form of myimproved brake-beam. Figs. 4and 5 are respectively plan and end views of an alternativeconstruction. Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views of another alternativeform. Figs. 8 and 9 are plan and front views of one end of a thirdalternative form and showa combined strengthening-plate and wheel-guardattached thereto.

In all of the various forms in which my invention may be embodied themain body of the beam is composed of a single piece of metal, and I mayuse for this purpose rolledmetal beams having a-ange or enlargement ateach edge-such as deck-beams, I-beams, incl-or I may use a beam, as inFigs. l, 2, and 3, which is of a novel shape invented by me and is welladapted for this purpose. While I prefer to use rolled metal, it isobvious that either pressed or cast metal may be used. The web of thedouble-flange beam in each case is split longitudinally from a pointnear one end to a point near the other end of the beam. The two flangesof the beam are then drawn away from each otherinto the positions shownin Figs. l, 4, 6, and 8. The fulcrumblock 8 is inserted at the center ofthe beam. In this manner a truss is formed composed of a compressionmember, a tension member, and a central strut,.tl 1ecompression andtension members being integral atv their ends., The beam is completed bysecurin g at its ends the shoes 9.

In the forms shown in Figs. l to 7 the ends of the beams are bent intosuch a position serian-0. 122,6705 (Nomen.) Y

that the tension member extends in a straight line from the fulcrum `8to either end ot' the beam, the ends of the compression member extendingiuparallelism thereto. These forms have the advantage that the ends ofthe truss comprising a web and vtwo integral flanges are much lesslikely to split longitudinally along the web or to bend'or breaktransversely when iu use than'when the said ends 6o are oi;'thev formshown in Figs. 8 and 9. Furthermore, the strength of the truss isincreased, since the tensional stresses existing in the tension memberare resisted by the bent portions of the web and compression member inthe direction of their length.

InFigsaf-l `to 3the`cross-secton of the beam before itis split is acrossl0, one arm of which terminates in a bulb-'like enlargement 1. The web-2.is split along a line adjacent the bulb l. It is evident,therefore,"that the tension member is approximately circular in crosssectin andthat a section'ofthe compression member 4 is a cross. The verticalflanges of the compression member'ar'e advantageous not only'instit'ening andstrengthening the same, but may also be made use ot' insecuring the fulcrum. I

In the beam shown in Figs; 4 and 5 the split beam isade'ck-bea'rn. (SeeFig. 5.) The web 2 is split along a line adjacent the bulb 1- and formsa tension member", approximately circular in cross-section, and acompression member 4', which is T-sliaped in section.

In the beams of Figs. 6, 7, S, and 9 an I- beam is used, audits web22;'is split along its center, thereby forming tension and compressionmembers 32 and42, which are T-shaped in section-that is,each is' initself a flanged beam. 1 f i In order to prevent thesplitting orcracking of the beamfatts ends, I may secure thereto a piece 5. Thispiecemay be of any form Whatever. I Infthe form-:which I have shown itcomprises Aa Ulshaped portion-6, surrounding the tension memberandriveted to the web of the compression member. A

vv'wheel-guard 7 is secured tothe portionV 46.

Although the piece 5 is shown as secured to only one of the beamsillustrated, it is evident that it may readily be applied to any of theother beams.

IOO

It will be seen that the brake-beams shown are very strong, light, anddurable. The fact that they are trusses enables them to be made fromvery light beams, and yet' be possessed of sufficient strength. Thecompression member in each case is a fianged beam. There is nopossibility of any loosening u p of any of the members of the truss, asthe compression and tension members are integral at their ends. The factthat the split beams maybe made from ordinary commercial rolled metalinsures an inexpensive beam which may be easily and quickly constructed.The bending of the ends of the beams (shown in Figs. l to 7) renders thebeams stronger and more serviceable than they would otherwise be.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A rolled-metal beam whose cross-section is the shape ot' a cross, oneot' the arms of said cross being of sulcient depth to form a Web orflange, and terminating in a bulb-like enlargement, substantially asdescribed.

2. A trussed brake-beam comprising a compression member, a tensionmember and a central strut, said tension member being bent at its centerand extending therefrom in straight lines to its ends, the ends of saidcompression member being bent into parallelism with said tension memberand being integral therewith, substantially as described.

3. A trussed brake beam, comprising a flanged compression member, atension member, and a central strut, said tension member being bent atits center and extending therefrom vin straight lines to its ends, theends of said compression member being bent into parallelism withv saidtension member and being integral therewith, substantially as described.

4. A trussed brake beam comprising a anged compression member, a tensionmember approximately circular in cross-section and a central strut, saidtension member being bent at its center and extending therefrom instraight lines to its ends, the ends of said compression member beingbent' into parallelism with said tension member and being unitedthereto,substantially as described. y 5. A trussed brake-beam comprisinga compression member Whose cross section is a cross, a tension memberapproximately circular in cross-section and a central strut, saidtension member being bent at its center and extending therefrom instraight lines to its ends, the ends of said compression member beingbent into parallelism with said tension member and being united thereto,substantially as described.

6. Atrussed brake-beam,comprisingahorizontally-tlanged compressionmember whose cross-section is a cross, a tension member integral withone of the horizontal flanges thereof, and a strut, substantially asdescribed.

7. A trussed brake-beam,comprisingacompression member, having a verticalilange and an inwardly-extending horizontal web, a tension memberapproximately circular in cross-section, and a strut, substantially asdescribed.

8. A trussed brake-beam,comprising a compression member, a tensionmember integral therewith, a strut, and a piece secured to said tensionand compression members near their ends, to prevent splitting,substantially as described.

9. A trussed brake-beam comprisinga beam longitudinally dividedintermediate its ends, a central strut between the separated portions ofsaid beam, and a piece secured to said separated portions near theirends to prevent splitting, substantially as described.

10. A trussed brake-beam, comprising a compression member, a tensionmember integral therewith, a strut, and a piece secured to `said tensionand compression members near their ends, to prevent splitting, saidpiece carrying a projecting wheel-guard, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day ofSeptember, 1902.

LOUIS A. SHEPARD.

In presence of WILLIAM KENT AUCHINoLoss, JAMES J OosGRovE.

